INDIANAPOLIS  The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 5 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2010 calendar year. SPJ Region 5 includes Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. This year, the contest received almost 4,000 entries across SPJs 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on April 2 during the Region 5 SPJ Spring Conference held at the METS Center in Erlanger, Ky. First place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging. National winners will be announced in early May.

The winners are listed below. For additional information on the Mark of Excellence awards, please contact Awards Coordinator Lauren Rochester at lrochester@spj.org.

2010 Region 5 Winners

Four Year College/University Finalists:

Breaking News Photography First Place: Police taze man in Subway- by Justin Shaw, Western Kentucky University. Second Place: Battle of the Boy Bands- by Andrew Ketchum, Taylor University. Third Place: No Award.*

Feature Photography First Place: Bees - by Ned Mulka, University of Illinois. Second Place: Tales of the Tower- by Megan Saalwaechter, Western Kentucky University. Third Place: Leaving the lights on- by Tim Harris, Western Kentucky University.

General News Photography First Place: A fallen hero-by Luke Sharrett, Western Kentucky University . Second Place: War of the word- by Bobby Ellis, Ball State University. Third Place: Wireless Access- by Tim Riethmiller, Taylor University.

Sports Writing First Place: Akron now a soccer power under Porter- by Stephanie Kuzydym, Indiana University. Second Place: Hudson, WKU survive moment 'way bigger than volleyball'- by Emily Patton, Western Kentucky University. Third Place: Catching a Break- by Nick Craddock, University of Kentucky.

Best Independent Online Student Publication First Place: North by Northwestern, Northwestern University.  Second Place: Farm to Fork: Investigating Agriculture, Western Kentucky University. Third Place: The Red Line Project, DePaul University.

Radio Sports Reporting First Place: Revival of Excellence- by Adam Warner, University of Kentucky. Second Place: Black History Month Feature: African Americans and Redbird Athletics- by Ross Green, Illinois State University. Third Place: No Award.*

Best All-Around Television Newscast First Place: WEIU-T.V. News Watch, Eastern Illinois University.  Second Place: UI-7 News, University of Illinois.  Third Place: No Award.*

Television Feature Photography First Place: Bringing Light to Gary, Indiana- by Zachary Perlinski, Ball State University. Second Place: No Award.* Third Place: No Award.*

Television Sports Reporting First Place: Jefferson Family Football- by Laura Hettiger, University of Illinois. Second Place: No Award.* Third Place: No Award.*

Two Year College Winners:

Editorial Writing First Place: Vikaas Shanker, College of DuPage. Second Place: No Award.* Third Place: No Award.*

General News Reporting First Place: Sign squabble ends, communication begins: College, village try to reach new agreement - by Chelsey Boutan & Vikaas Shanker , College of DuPage. Second Place: No Award.* Third Place: No Award.*

Sports Photography First Place: The Hustle for Recovery-by Kat Boehle, Joliet Junior College.  Second Place: No Award.* Third Place: No Award.*

* Mark of Excellence Awards honor the best in student journalism. Judges are not required to select first, second or third place winners.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.